The oldest tobacco shop in the United States, Demuth's was founded in 1770 by Christopher Demuth and remained in the family in the 1980's. With visitors such as Jasper Yeates and James Buchanan, the shop was, and still remains, a staple in the local community.
Rococo Revival writing desk. High relief carved arching crest with acanthus leaf motif flanked by matching finials. A cherub relief face with wings in a recessed arch is seen below the crest, surmounting a storage cabinet decorated with more highly carved foliate and scroll motifs along both rails. The cabinet door is decorated with inlaid woods that form a vase with flowers. The writing desk has a fold-down/pull-out writing surface and four drawers that surmount a central drawer and four highly carved foliate and scroll adorned cabriole legs that terminate on casters and are connected by supports to central finials.
Several broken finials and high relief carvings under central cabinet
Object ID
W.1936.008.001
Notes
From the account of Major Andre, who visited Wheatland in 1888, it can be surmised that the escritoire stood in the sitting room or study. This room was located to the left of the front door in the central section of the house.